Improvement in spring-powers for sewing-machines



UNITED STATES PATENT @Frrloin JAMEs CLEVELAND, or WILLIAMSBURG, ANDCHARLES A. TODD, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPRING-POWERS FOR SEWiNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 133,760, dated December10, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES CLEVELAND, of Williamsburg, in the county ofKings and State of New York, and CHARLES A. ToDD, of the city, county,and .State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inSpring-Power for Sewing-Machines, of

which the following is a specification: Figure l is a side view of asewing-machine table to which our improved spring-power has beenapplied. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same, part of the table-leaf beingbroken away. Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section of the same takenthrough the line a; 00, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Our invention has for its object to furnish an improved spring-power fordriving a sewfing-machine, which shall be simple in construction,convenient in use,-and efi'ective in operation, drivingthe machine atany desired velocity, and which shall be so constructed that the tensionmay be readily keptupon the spring, so that the machine may be runcontinuously for any desired length of time; and it consists in thecombination of the spring, drum, gear-wheels, and land-wheel with eachother and with the driving-wheel of a sewingmachine; in the combinationof the gearwheels and squared shaft with the spring, drum, gear-wheels,and band-wheel; and in the combination of the brake-shoe, brake-lever,connecting-rod, treadle and spring, with the band-wheel E that givesmotion to the drivewheel of a sewing-machine, and which is driven by thespring, drum, and gear-wheels, as hereinafter more fully described.

A represents the frame-work, and B represents the top of asewing-machine table, about the construction of which parts there isnothing new. 0 represents the ordinary drivingwheel of a sewing-machine,around which pass es a band, D, which also passes around a groove formedin the wide wheel or drum E, which is attached to the shaft F. The shaftF revolves in bearin gs in a frame, G, attached to the frame A. Totheshaft F is attached a small gearwheel,H, the teeth of which mesh intothe teeth of the large gear-wheel I, formed upon or attached to the drumJ, which revolves upon the shaft K. lhe shaft K- revolves in bearings inthe frame G, and to it is attached a ratchet-wheel, L, upon the teeth ofwhich takes hold the spring-pawlM, connected with the frame G, so thatthe said shaft K cannot turn back, but may be turned forward freely towind up the spring N. The spring N is coiled within the drum J, and oneof its ends is attached to the said drum J, and its other end isattached to the shaft K. To the shaft K is also attached a largegear-wheel, 0, into the teeth of which mesh the teeth of the smallgearwheel P attached to the shaft Q, which revolves in hearings in theframe G. To the shaft Q, or to the gear-wheel P, is attached a,smallbevelgear wheel, B, into the teeth of which mesh the teeth of thesmall bevel-gear wheel S attached to the shaft T, which revolves inbearings in the frame G. The outer end of the shaft T projects, and issquared off to receive the crank or key U, by which the spring N iswound up. By this arrangement the operator can, by giving an occasionalturn to the crank U with one hand, while the other hand guides the work,keep the spring N coiled so that the machine can be run continuously forany desired length of time. Vis the brakeshoe that bears upon the faceof the drum E, and which is attached to the end of the lever W. Thelever W is pivoted to the frame G, and to its other end is attached theupper end of the connecting rod or chain X, the lower end of which isattached to the treadle or footlever Y. To the end of the lever W isalso attached the lower end of a coiled-wire spring, Z, the upper end ofwhich is attached to the table-top B, or to the frame A. By thisconstruction the spring Z applies the brake-shoe V to the wheel E withsufficient force to hold it against the force of the spring N.

The operator, to set the machine in motion, has only to bear down withher foot upon the treadle Y; and to keep the machine in motion she hasonly to give the crank a few turns occasionally. The velocity of themachine is regulated by allowing the brake-shoe V to bear with greateror less force upon the wheel E.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination of the spring N, drum J,gear-wheels I H, and band-wheel E, with each other and with thedrivingwheel 0 of a sewin g-maohine, substantiallyas herein shown anddescribed, and for the puipose set forth.

2'. The combination of the gear-wheels O P R S and squared shaft T withthe spring N, drum J, gear-wheels I H, and band-wheel E, substantiallyas herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the brake shoe V, brake-lever W, connecting-rod X,treadle Y, and spring Z with the band-wheel E that gives motion to thedrive-wheel of a sewing-machine, and which is driven by the spring N,drum J, and gear-wheels I H, substantially as herein shown anddescribed, and for the purpose set forth. 7

JAMES CLEVELAND. CHARLES A. TODD.

Witnesses:

JAMES T. GRAHAM, T. B. MOSHER.

